Since there’s something of a storyline going on in the current strip right now, I thought I’d dig out this old series, from April of 1986, less than a year after the debut of Arlo & Janis. The treehouse series is the first continuing story I drew. It wasn’t in the book, and I don’t think it has been reproduced anywhere until now. I hope you enjoy it.

This retro cartoon is about as far back as the digital archives go, which happens to be May of 1994. It’s an early take on a theme which I would revisit several times in the future, “too much stuff.” Personally, I seem to have more stuff than ever, my fascination with the subject notwithstanding.

Of course, one of the transformational qualities of digitalization is the ability to make corrections quickly and easily. Take the second line of dialog in the third panel for example, where Janis speaks the words “want to go?” Obviously, I miscalculated, and the printed words are off-center badly. In the old days, before personal computers, I would have had two choices: get out some white tape and cover the error and reprint it, or let it slide. Today, “cut and paste” make such corrections simple. In fact, I’d have corrected this cartoon before posting it, but then we wouldn’t be having this discussion.

I think we’ve said all we need to say about barbecue for now, but I couldn’t resist throwing in this classic A&J comic strip from this month 15 years ago.

If you’ve been here this week already, you probably know I was in Kansas City Monday and Tuesday, hob nobbing with the folks at Universal Uclick which distributes Arlo & Janis and about 87 other comic strips. They’re very excited about the growth of GoComics.com, the syndicate Web site where you go every day for “Today’s A&J.” At the risk of shilling for the home team, I would like to remind you that you can sign up at GoComics.com and have your favorite strips delivered to you in your mailbox every morning. It’s free with ads, or you can pay about a buck a month and not have to look at the ads, some of which can be pretty annoying. Anyway, as far as I’m concerned, I’m not so interested in wrangling a buck a month out of you as I am in having you include me in your list of favorites, which I assume is not a lot to ask or you wouldn’t be here reading this. However, if you do have A&J delivered by GoComics every morning, don’t neglect to come here for Classic A&J and daily barbecue discussions.

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I love talking about barbecue! We’ll do it one more day. The same argument that’s already begun here is one that is ignited in KC itself everytime the subject of barbecue is raised: which is better, Fiorella’s Jack Stack, Oklahoma Joe’s, Arthur Bryant’s, and so on. I must have heard at least half a dozen versions of the discussion in the two days I was there. I must say, I know what Bruce in Pensacola was getting at when he quoted Calvin Trillin, himself a Kansas City native: “You can’t get good barbecue served by a white man on a china plate.” Literally, that isn’t true. Although the atmosphere was a bit rarified to be taken seriously, the barbecue at Fiorella’s Jack Stack, where I ate Monday evening, was excellent. Come to think of it, though, it was a served by a pretty young woman, and I didn’t actually see the cook. Ultimately, I agree with Hurd, himself the owner of a barbecue joint; I’ve never tasted a form of barbecue I didn’t like. What kind of plates do you use, Hurd?

As I told you yesterday, I’m in Kansas City, visiting Andrews McMeel Universal, the home office. And boy, howdy! I have seen—or tasted—an entire new dimension to our old best-barbecue argument. The barbecue here is great! And much of it is beef. When I was told last evening we’d be going out for barbecue, I imagined picnic tables and a roll of paper towels. Instead, we went to a renovated freight depot which is home to several fine restaurants, including a palatial barbecue establishment (“Joint” does not suffice.) like none I’ve ever seen. I knew you were going to ask me the name, but it escapes me at the moment. I’ll bet someone here can supply it. I must run now. Another day of hob-nobbing with syndicate execs, but I’ll be home tonight. Meanwhile, we wrap up the art-festival series.